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Representing the Advantaged
By Daniel M. Butler. 2014
Political inequality is a major issue in American politics, with racial minorities and low-income voters receiving less favorable representation. Scholars…
argue that this political inequality stems largely from differences in political participation and that if all citizens participated equally we would achieve political equality. Daniel M. Butler shows that this common view is incorrect. He uses innovative field and survey experiments involving public officials to show that a significant amount of bias in representation traces its roots to the information, opinions, and attitudes that politicians bring to office and suggests that even if all voters participated equally, there would still be significant levels of bias in American politics because of differences in elite participation. Butler's work provides a new theoretical basis for understanding inequality in American politics and insights into what institutional changes can be used to fix the problem.The Sociology of War and Violence
By Sinisa Malesevic. 2009
War is a highly complex and dynamic form of social conflict. This new book demonstrates the importance of using sociological…
tools to understand the changing character of war and organised violence. The author offers an original analysis of the historical and contemporary impact that coercion and warfare have on the transformation of social life, and vice versa. Although war and violence were decisive components in the formation of modernity most analyses tend to shy away from the sociological study of the gory origins of contemporary social life. In contrast, this book brings the study of organised violence to the fore by providing a wide-ranging sociological analysis that links classical and contemporary theories with specific historical and geographical contexts. Topics covered include violence before modernity, warfare in the modern age, nationalism and war, war propaganda, battlefield solidarity, war and social stratification, gender and organised violence, and the new wars debate.Between Families and Frankenstein: The Politics of Egg Donation in the United States
By Erin Heidt-Forsythe. 2018
In the United States egg donation for reproduction and egg donation for research involve the same procedures the…
same risks and the same population of donors disadvantaged women at the intersections of race and class Yet cultural attitudes and state-level policies regarding egg donation are dramatically different depending on whether the donation is for reproduction or for research Erin Heidt-Forsythe explores the ways that framing egg donation itself creates diverse politics in the United States which unlike other Western democracies has no centralized method of regulating donations relying instead on market forces and state legislatures to regulate egg donation and reproductive technologies Beginning with a history of scientific research around the human egg the book connects historical debates about the natural reproduction and unnatural research uses of women s eggs to contemporary political regulation of egg donation Examining egg donation in California New York Arizona and Louisiana and coupled with original data on how egg donation has been regulated over the last twenty years this book is the first comprehensive overview and analysis of the politics of egg donation across the United StatesThe Dark
By Sergio Chejfec, Heather Cleary. 2000
Opening with the presently shut-in narrator reminiscing about a past relationship with Delia, a young factory worker, The Dark employs…
Chejfec's signature style with an emphasis on the geography and motion of the mind, to recount the time the narrator spent with this multifaceted, yet somewhat absent, woman. The Dark is the most captivating example of Chejfec's unique narrative approach.States of Violence: War, Capital Punishment, and Letting Die
By Austin Sarat, Jennifer L. Culbert. 2009
The book brings together scholarship on three different forms of state violence, examining each for what it can tell us…
about the conditions under which states use violence and the significance of violence to our understanding of states. The contributors to this book demonstrate that states of violence thus have a history and sociology. Yet wherever the state acts violently, the legitimacy of its acts must be engaged with the real facts of war, capital punishment, and the ugly realities of death. This book calls into question the legitimacy of state uses of violence and mounts a sustained effort at interpretation, sense making, and critique. It suggests that condemning the state's decisions to use lethal force is not a simple matter of abolishing the death penalty or - to take another exemplary example of the killing state - demanding that the state engage only in just (publicly declared and justified) wars, pointing out that even such overt instances of lethal force are more elusive as targets of critique than one might think. Indeed, altering such decisions may do little to change the essential relationship of the state to violence. To change that relationship we must also attend to the violent state as a state of mind, a state of mind that is not just a social or psychological condition but also a moral commitment and/or a philosophical position.Living with Insecurity in a Brazilian Favela
By R. Ben Penglase. 2014
The residents of Caxambu, a squatter neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, live in a state of insecurity as they face…
urban violence Living with Insecurity in a Brazilian Favela examines how inequality, racism, drug trafficking, police brutality, and gang activities affect the daily lives of the people of Caxambu. Some Brazilians see these communities, known as favelas, as centers of drug trafficking that exist beyond the control of the state and threaten the rest of the city. For other Brazilians, favelas are symbols of economic inequality and racial exclusion. Ben Penglase's ethnography goes beyond these perspectives to look at how the people of Caxambu themselves experience violence Although the favela is often seen as a war zone, the residents are linked to each other through bonds of kinship and friendship. In addition, residents often take pride in homes and public spaces that they have built and used over generations. Penglase notes that despite poverty, their lives are not completely defined by illegal violence or deprivation. He argues that urban violence and a larger context of inequality create a social world that is deeply contradictory and ambivalent. The unpredictability and instability of daily experiences result in disagreements and tensions, but the residents also experience their neighborhood as a place of social intimacy. As a result, the social world of the neighborhood is both a place of danger and safety.Everyday Violence in the Irish Civil War
By Gemma Clark. 2014
Everyday Violence in the Irish Civil War presents an innovative study of violence perpetrated by and against non-combatants during the…
Irish Civil War, 1922-3. Drawing from victim accounts of wartime injury as recorded in compensation claims, Dr Gemma Clark sheds new light on hundreds of previously neglected episodes of violence and intimidation - ranging from arson, boycott and animal maiming to assault, murder and sexual violence - that transpired amongst soldiers, civilians and revolutionaries throughout the period of conflict. The author shows us how these micro-level acts, particularly in the counties of Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford, served as an attempt to persecute and purge religious and political minorities and to force redistribution of land. Clark also assesses the international significance of the war, comparing the cruel yet arguably restrained violence that occurred in Ireland with the brutality unleashed in other European conflict zones.The Gender of Reparations
By Ruth Rubio-Marín. 2009
Reparations programs seeking to provide for victims of gross and systematic human rights violations are becoming an increasingly frequent feature…
of transitional and post-conflict processes. Given that women represent a very large proportion of the victims of these conflicts and authoritarianism, and that women arguably experience conflicts in a distinct manner, it makes sense to examine whether reparations programs can be designed to redress women more fairly and efficiently and seek to subvert gender hierarchies that often antecede the conflict. Focusing on themes such as reparations for victims of sexual and reproductive violence, reparations for children and other family members, as well as gendered understandings of monetary, symbolic, and collective reparations, The Gender of Reparations gathers information about how past or existing reparations projects dealt with gender issues, identifies best practices to the extent possible, and articulates innovative approaches and guidelines to the integration of a gender perspective in the design and implementation of reparations for victims of human rights violations.Why Not Kill Them All? The Logic and Prevention of Mass Political Murder
By Daniel Chirot, Clark Mccauley. 2006
Genocide, mass murder, massacres. The words themselves are chilling, evoking images of the slaughter of countless innocents. What dark impulses…
lurk in our minds that even today can justify the eradication of thousands and even millions of unarmed human beings caught in the crossfire of political, cultural, or ethnic hostilities? This question lies at the heart of Why Not Kill Them All? Cowritten by historical sociologist Daniel Chirot and psychologist Clark McCauley, the book goes beyond exploring the motives that have provided the psychological underpinnings for genocidal killings. It offers a historical and comparative context that adds up to a causal taxonomy of genocidal events. Rather than suggesting that such horrors are the product of abnormal or criminal minds, the authors emphasize the normality of these horrors: killing by category has occurred on every continent and in every century. But genocide is much less common than the imbalance of power that makes it possible. Throughout history human societies have developed techniques aimed at limiting intergroup violence. Incorporating ethnographic, historical, and current political evidence, this book examines the mechanisms of constraint that human societies have employed to temper partisan passions and reduce carnage. Might an understanding of these mechanisms lead the world of the twenty-first century away from mass murder? Why Not Kill Them All? makes clear that there are no simple solutions, but that progress is most likely to be made through a combination of international pressures, new institutions and laws, and education. If genocide is to become a grisly relic of the past, we must fully comprehend the complex history of violent conflict and the struggle between hatred and tolerance that is waged in the human heart. In a new preface, the authors discuss recent mass violence and reaffirm the importance of education and understanding in the prevention of future genocides.The Assault on Social Policy
By William Roth, Susan Peters. 2014
A number of groups have intensified their attack on social policy over the past ten years, and this revised textbook…
reflects these developments, along with new research on the hotly contested policy areas of poverty, welfare, disability, social security, and health care. This edition also considers the recent, ongoing effects of globalization and economic challenges on social policy and includes a new chapter on education.Mexico Is Not Colombia: Alternative Historical Analogies for Responding to the Challenge of Violent Drug-Trafficking Organizations, Supporting Case Studies
By Christopher Paul, Colin P. Clarke, Chad C. Serena. 2014
Despite the scope of the threat they pose to Mexico's security, violent drug-trafficking organizations are not well understood, and optimal…
strategies to combat them have not been identified. While there is no perfectly analogous case to Mexico's current security situation, historical case studies may offer lessons for policymakers as they cope with challenges related to violence and corruption in that country.Girls Resist!: A Guide to Activism, Leadership, and Starting a Revolution
By KaeLyn Rich, Giulia Sagramola. 2018
An activism handbook for teen girls ready to fight for change, social justice, and equality.Take on the world and make…
some serious change with this handbook to everything activism, social justice, and resistance. With in-depth guides to everything from picking a cause, planning a protest, and raising money to running dispute-free meetings, promoting awareness on social media, and being an effective ally, Girls Resist! will show you how to go from “mad as heck about the way the world is going” to “effective leader who gets stuff done.” Veteran feminist organizer KaeLyn Rich shares tons of expertise that’ll inspire you as much as it teaches you the ropes. Plus, quotes and tips from fellow teen girl activists show how they stood up for change in their communities. Grab this handbook to crush inequality, start a revolution, and resist!Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later
By Karrine Steffans, Datwon Thomas. 2015
For a decade, Confessions of a Video Vixen author Karrine Steffans and the details of her private life have been…
the subject of debate and scrutiny. But, as gossipmongers and critics speculated, assumed, and manufactured tall tales about the New York Times bestselling author, Karrine hid herself and her truth from the world, imprisoned by an abusive marriage and the judgments of society.In Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later, Karrine takes readers into the belly of the beast as she harrowingly chronicles the systematic breakdown of her mind, body, and spirit at the hand of one man and the events that propelled her back to prosperity after losing everything. She candidly shares her struggle to be what others demand, her obsession with the American dream, her desperation to appear normal, the lengths to which she went, and the price she paid for it all.This dark, long journey into the life of an abused and tormented woman, wife, and mother uncovers a long-guarded set of painful personal truths, reveals the inspiring details of her life-saving triumph, and will change everything you thought you knew about Karrine Steffans.Enslaved: True Stories of Modern Day Slavery
By Jesse Sage. 2006
Today, millions of people are being held in slavery around the world. From poverty-stricken countries to affluent American suburbs, slaves…
toil as sweatshop workers, sex slaves, migrant workers, and domestic servants. With exposés by seven former slaves--as well as one slaveholder--from Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, this groundbreaking collection of harrowing first-hand accounts reveals how slavery continues to thrive in the twenty-first century. From the memoirs of Micheline, a Haitian girl coerced into domestic work in Connecticut, to the confessions of Abdel Nasser, a Mauritanian master turned abolitionist, these stories heighten awareness of a global human rights crisis that can no longer be ignored.Spillover from the Conflict in Syria: An Assessment of the Factors that Aid and Impede the Spread of Violence
By William Young, David Stebbins, Bryan A. Frederick, Omar Al-Shahery. 2014
Aid flowing into Syria is intended to determine the outcome of the conflict between rebel factions and Damascus. Instead, it…
could perpetuate the civil war and ignite larger regional hostilities that could reshape the political geography of the Middle East. This report examines the main factors likely to contribute to or impede the spread of violence from civil war and insurgency in Syria, and then examines how they apply to neighboring states.Crafting Policies to End Poverty in Latin America
By Ana Lorena De La O. 2015
This book provides a theory and evidence to explain the initial decision of governments to adopt a conditional cash transfer…
program (the most prominent type of antipoverty program currently in operation in Latin America), and whether such programs are insulated from political manipulations or not. Ana Lorena De La O shows that whether presidents limit their own discretion or not has consequences for the survival of policies, their manipulation, and how effective they are in improving the lives of the poor. This book is the first of its kind to present evidence from all Latin American CCTs.Power and the Vote
By Brian Min. 2015
How do developing states decide who gets access to public goods like electricity, water, and education? Power and the Vote…
breaks new ground by showing that the provision of seemingly universal public goods is intricately shaped by electoral priorities. In doing so, this book introduces new methods using high-resolution satellite imagery to study the distribution of electricity across and within the developing world. Combining cross-national evidence with detailed sub-national analysis and village-level data from India, Power and the Vote affirms the power of electoral incentives in shaping the distribution of public goods and challenges the view that democracy is a luxury of the rich with little relevance to the world's poor.Appalachian Legacy
By James P. Ziliak. 2012
In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson traveled to Kentucky's Martin County to declare war on poverty. The following year he signed…
the Appalachian Regional Development Act, creating a state-federal partnership to improve the region's economic prospects through better job opportunities, improved human capital, and enhanced transportation. As the focal point of domestic antipoverty efforts, Appalachia took on special symbolic as well as economic importance. Nearly half a century later, what are the results? Appalachian Legacy provides the answers.Led by James P. Ziliak, prominent economists and demographers map out the region's current status. They explore important questions, including how has Appalachia fared since the signing of ARDA in 1965? How does it now compare to the nation as a whole in key categories such as education, employment, and health? Was ARDA an effective place-based policy for ameliorating hardship in a troubled region, or is Appalachia still mired in a poverty trap? And what lessons can we draw from the Appalachian experience?In addition to providing the reports of important research to help analysts, policymakers, scholars, and regional experts discern what works in fighting poverty, Appalachian Legacy is an important contribution to the economic history of the eastern United States.Contemporary Critical Criminology
By Walter S. DeKeseredy. 2011
The concept of critical criminology – that crime and the present day processes of criminalization are rooted in the core…
structures of society – is of more relevance today than it has been at any other time. Written by an internationally renowned scholar, Contemporary Critical Criminology introduces the most up-to-date empirical, theoretical, and political contributions made by critical criminologists around the world. In its exploration of this material, the book also challenges the erroneous but widely held notion that the critical criminological project is restricted to mechanically applying theories to substantive topics, or to simple calling for radical political, economic, cultural, and social transformations. This book is an essential source of reference for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of Criminology, Criminal Theory, Social Policy, Research Methodology, and Penology.Human Rights in Armed Conflict: Law, Practice, Policy
By Gerd Oberleitner. 2015
It is now widely accepted that international human rights law applies in situations of armed conflict alongside international humanitarian law,…
but the contours and consequences of this development remain unclear. This book revisits, organizes and contextualizes the debate on human rights in armed conflict and explores the legal challenges, operational consequences and policy implications of resorting to human rights in situations of inter- and intra-state violence. It presents the benefits and the drawbacks of using international human rights law alongside humanitarian law and discusses how the idea, law and policy of human rights influence the development of the law of armed conflict. Based on legal theory, policy analysis, state practice and the work of human rights bodies it suggests a human rights-oriented reading of the law of armed conflict as feasible and necessary in response to the changing character of war.